Not Your Robin
by Anonymous Goon
Summary: AU Abusive parent-exploring the problems of Batman picking up replacement robins, why he finds replacements, and why each of the robins leave him eventually. Some times it is difficult to leave a family, even a toxic one, behind. And Batman cannot stand to lose more family, failing to realize that he is the one who drives them away.


**Disclaimer: I do not own. **

**I found this hanging out in my old writing files. According to which it was inspired by "**_**Vertigo**_**" by **_**Marianas Trench, **_**and apparently I abandoned the project twice a decade or so ago. It might be fun to work on an old project. I'll post it and see if it sticks. If not, I'll toss it back in the bin and get the new stuff rolling instead. **

**Abusive Batman AU playing on the theme of Bruce's problematic behavior in some comics.**

**Enjoy!**

The only noises present in the air were the rhythmic sounds of fists meeting a punching bag and ragged breathing, the same sounds that had been filling the room for the past two hours.

Slits of furious eyes narrowed at their target, imagination twisting it into a human form. _Human._ He almost laughed. That…creature…was anything _but_ human. Humanity required some sort of redeeming quality, something that he knew to be sadly lacking in that monster.

_Snap!_

The young man glanced down at the bag, fist still drawn, bracing for the next hit. He weighed the options of moving it or not. Did it even really matter? Of course not, he decided, kicking it out of his way as he marched out of the room.

His apartment was in a leaky old building, and he was pretty sure that stain on the wall was blood, but it was still _his _apartment. It had been so long since he could call something his own, including himself. But the taste of present autonomy was tainted by bitter memories from his past.

He switched the radio on, pouring a glass of water, and leaned against the counter to listen. He could still remember the patches of black and blue which so often dusted his skin, feathering over gashes and gnarled bone.

He still could trace his fingers over the pale scares left behind, faded but never quite gone.

The crackle of radio static pulsed through the room, emitting barely recognizable voices.

A sound he had become accustomed to.

"_Reporting f-rom Gotham New…is the…Joker….as struck again. Sightings con..ue to accumulate. The question st..l rema-ins. Who is this new Robin?"_

The Glass beneath Richard's fingers threatened to give way.

So he was still at it… Richard snorted; _of course _he was still at it. Whenever one of them managed to escape successfully, whether by death or by going into hiding, fresh meat would soon be in their place. Successfully avoiding the Bat however…never lasted forever. As if to pay tribute to this, Timothy burst through the door, anxiety etched into his features.

"He found me."

Somehow the eldest of the robins had found himself being a sort of unwilling outside help for the refuge robins who fluttered in. So much for leaving the life behind…

"What did you lead him here for then? Now I have to move all over again." He had found Tim a cheep room and a job. It wasn't much, but it was better than sleeping in the streets.

Tim shook his head, "I lost him on the way here."

"Really?" Dick raised an eyebrow, stepping closer to a confused Tim and grabbing his arm. He promptly peeled a tiny, bat shaped bug off the back of Tim's sleeve. "Cause if this is hide-and-seek, he's winning."

Tim muttered something under his breath.

Dick dropped the tracer into his water then grabbed a duffel bag from his closet, filling it with a change of clothes and what little extra cash he had, and thrust it into the other's hands.

"Get out of Gotham and bunk with one of your YJ friends, the further you are, the safer."

Tim nodded, looking up at his brother curiously, "What happened to Jason? Wasn't he staying with you a couple of weeks ago?"

"He shipped out; something about settling a score."

Tim bobbed his head again, walking to the exit, before pausing and turning back to face his aide, "Thanks Dick…and I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lead him here…"

"I know." Dick sighed, watching his brother fade into the dark once again, "Take care."

**Intro trial chapter. Let me know if you want me to continue.**


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